Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend
by braga210
Summary: This is an original story about Sota Gawa, a 17 year old high school kid who stumbles upon the greatest urban legend of his new residence. Will he be able to keep it together or lose himself in this town's folklore?
1. Chapter 1

_**Flat**_

_Urban legends...an urban legend is defined as an apocryphal story involving incidents of the recent past, often including elements of humor and horror, that spreads quickly and is popularly believed to be true._

_A story that is believed to be true...is that all it really is?_

_Could something, like that, be fact? _

_What if you did hear an urban legend that was so crazy...that it WAS true?_

_What if an urban legend was so farfetched and so absurd...that is was fact, not fiction?_

_Could you comprehend it?_

_Could something, like that, be...reality?_

_Could you change…fate?_

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP CLICK!**

Awwww!

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Hey Sota!"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Are you awake yet?"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Hey Sota! Are you listening!"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Hey Sota!"

"Yes, mom, I'm awake! God can't she let a guy sleep for little longer?"

_Our urban legend begins with Sota Gawa. He is 17 years old and attends Shishiwakamori High School. Sota lives with his mom right now. Recently, his parents filed for divorce and his younger sister past away from a fatal illness of the heart. Him and his whole family were struck hard from this recent event. But, Sota, has been affected the most by this horrible tragedy, she was like his only true person that could understand him. It almost led him to the brink of suicide, for him. But now, he has no one, except his 26 year old sister, Rina, who is engaged to her finance, Tomo. If it wasn't for her, he would probably wouldn't be here. Now, he lives with his drunk mom, is going through the loss of his younger sister, and is now, alone. Now, back to our story._

Sota changes into his school uniform, for his first day of school, at Shishiwakamori High School, he comtemplates about the day ahead.

_What would my days at school be like? Is it just another building with people that hate me or just plain can't look at me?_

**DING DONG DONG DING (repeated)**

"Hey come on, sis, let's go!"

"Ok, big brother, hold on one sec!"

_**Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend**_

_**Episode 1:**_

**BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP CLICK!**

-Struggling groans of a tired person-

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Sota!"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Are you awake yet?"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Sota! Are you listening?!"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Sota! You're going to be late for school!"

"Yes, mom, I'm awake! God can't she let a guy sleep for a little?"

-As Sota is changing into his school uniform, for his first day of school, at Shishiwakamori High School, he contemplates about the day ahead.-

_Let's get the day over with. I hope mom doesn't have another late nighter like she always does. I'm surprise she's up this early to begin with. Well, maybe…what am I saying she would never do that._

**DING DONG DONG DING (repeated)**

"Hey come on, sis, let's go!"

"Ok, big brother, hold on one sec!"

–A brother and sister laughing and the mumbling of classmates overfill the grounds. Sota enters the school grounds and looks up at the clock tower, on top of his school, as it rings in the school year. He looks up into it for a moment and watches emotionless reminiscence about the funeral of his younger sister. Also, there, emotionless and stern showing no remorse of sadness or regret, holding everything in as his black suit started to appear more like his heart then the atmosphere. He heads off into the building and into his classroom and takes a seat at his desk, paying no mind to any of his classmates and not really caring either. As his classmates talk about how each other are doing and formally introducing themselves and laughing over stories of vacation, Soto sits there looking forward not moving as he thinks to himself…-

_What a bunch of fools…but…I wish that I had at least…one…_

-Lowering his head a little closing his eyes almost trying to shut them out…-

"What's your name?"

-Looks up almost startled to hear a voice. He looks up to see a short blue hair girl with green eyes looking at him from the side of his desk, smiling at him asking him again.-

"What's your name?"

-Blinks as if confused wondering if she was talking to him, he looks around the room quickly to confirm who she was talking to. Seeing she was talking to him, he looks up at her smiling saying kindly.-

"My name is Sota Gawa. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Sota Gawa."

-Pondering that name for a sec as she looks back at him and responds…-

"My name is Yukito Oshimo, but everyone hear calls me Yuki for short. I've never seen you here before."

"Yeah, my mom and I just moved here from a little up north…wait a minute what did you say your name was?"

"My name is Yukito Oshimo, why?"

-His eyes widened like he just saw a ghost, Yukito gets worried and asks him…-

"Are you ok Sota?"

"Yeah, I'm fine it's nothing, really."

-She knows he isn't fine but plays along with him, teasing him a bit…-

"Oh I see, well it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Gawa."

"Please, no formalities, you can call me Sota."

-Smiling and giggling to herself as she said…-

"All right then Sota-chan, it's a pleasure to meet you, we should talk again soon."

"Yeah that would be great."

"Well take care, bye."

-Put her hand in the air still as her sign of goodbye as she runs off out of the class. Sota sitting there confused waving to no one and thinking to himself blushing a bit.-

_Wow, that girl…she reminds me of…._

-Flashes back to a fond memory of his younger sister, were playing outside in their old backyard; her face radiant in the sun, the laughter of a child that was his paradise. He snaps out of the memory as his teacher walks in and says to his students, as they continue to talk amongst each other...-

"Settle down students and take your seats, let's begin."

-Shuffling his papers as he's ready to start the school year. The bell rings as the first school day ends, everyone leaves the school and walks out ready to enjoy the rest of the day. Sota's in the classroom, alone, looking outside at the orange sun. Thinking of nothing but at the same time, something…something important, his thought clouded with the funeral of his younger sister. Seeing her lay inside the small gray ash coffin as it shines in the setting sun…-

"Sis…"

-Long pause replaying what he was thinking about.-

"Sis…"

-Replaying quicker as he pauses again.-

"Sis…" closes his eyes hard trying hard not to watch the repetitive film.

"Hey Sota!"

-Opens his eyes wide like he just heard his sister's voice from beyond the grave. Eyes twitching to that fact as he slowly turns around to see Yukito smiling down at him.-

"What's wrong Sota-chan? Aren't you happy to see me?" Teasing him.

"No that's not it I…I just…I thought you were someone else that's all."

-Taking a sigh of relief as it was only just Yukito. She smiles at him as he directs his attention toward the window, not paying any mind to her being there as she says teasing him.-

"And who do you think I was?"

-She waits a little for him to respond but he doesn't respond back, as if he was in his own little world and no one was there except him. She starts to worry a little and asks…-

"What's on your mind Sota-chan?"

-He says without looking at her.-

"There's nothing wrong. I just…I'm just thinking."

"About what?"

-Flashes back to his little sister smiling and showing him a toy of hers. Whispering to himself…-

"Sis, I wish you…"

-Yukito listens in and watching his lips as he finishes saying to himself…-

"I wish you were here."

-He stares out the window some more as he snaps out of his thought process and smiles turning around and saying…-

"I'm sorry Yukito, I was just…"

-He turns around to find her not there anymore. He looks around seeing if she was still in the room but to no avail, she was gone. He blinks a couple of times and assumes that she left. He thinks to himself…-

_I'm an idiot…_

-A car rushes by, speeding towards point B. The streetlight above changes from red to green, the sun's setting on the sky. Sota is on his way home, going down one of the busiest streets, the main street of the town, hustling and bustling of people as they make with the last of their shopping before heading home. Sota passes the crowd, passing the gallery of windows stores and vegetable stands. He pays no mind to the people around; to them he hears nothing but the mumble of the mixed voices. He stays in his own world and lets no one in. He starts to think again, his final day home.-

"Sota, you're leaving?"

"Yeah, my mom and I are moving to Hiroshima."

"But why?"

"It's none of your concern why I'm moving."

-An old girl friend of his looks at him with much concern. Thinking to herself…-

_Why…why Sota? Why can't you ever tell me, what's on your mind?_

-Almost like she was ready to cry, she looks at him, without warning, she gives him a big hug not letting him go. He stands there, frozen still as she says softly to him…-

"You'll always have a home here, just remember that, Sota."

-After staying like that for a while, she lets go of him and walks over to the door exiting from his life as she says to him without looking at him…-

"Take care…of yourself…Sota."

-Sota rubs his head when she walks over to the door, feeling as if a few pieces of hair got plucked from his head. As she walk out the door, he looks at her and extends a hand to her reaching for her as she runs off and yells at him…-

"Goodbye!"

-And runs into the school, never to see him again. He has another flashback of seeing his homeroom teacher talking to him as he is saying to him…-

"I see, your gone starting tomorrow."

-Sota, not looking at him, wanting to go not wanting to talk to him just says nothing. The teacher continues to look at him talking to him some more…-

"You should, while you are there, engorge yourself with the rich history of the town. You know, Hiroshima is full of stories and legends. In fact, there's one legend that Hiroshima is known for and that is the story of a pic…"

"I don't want to hear about it. It's not my home. So what's the point?"

-Clenches his fist and interrupting his speech, not wanting to hear more and ready to punch his lights out. He stands there just wanting to leave as he finishes saying to him…-

"It's not my home! It's not my home! It's not my home!"

-Runs off away from him as Mr. Kyokushi yells out to him.-

"Sota! Sota! Come…back…"

-Takes a sigh of relief and realizes he was gone from his life forever. Back in reality, he hasn't paid attention to where his surroundings, he says under his breath…-

"Why do I want to hear about a stupid urban legend…"

-As he finishes saying that, he hits his head into a wall. Rubbing his head for relief he looks up at what he hit. Murazan's Antiques is the sign he sees above the store. Sota had a taste for antiques; he enjoyed the rich history of picking up a relic and thinking about how life has changed since then. He hadn't been to one since he left his hometown and almost without hesitation, he heads inside. The bell rings in the new customer throughout the store finding no one was around. The store bombarded him with paraphernalia, used cameras, old hardware equipment, and other assortments on old rickety shelves and hanging from the ceiling rafters. He was just engorged by all this rich history surrounding him. Marveled at a simple gun used 50 years ago, he goes over to it and picks it up admiring the craftsman ship and detail of delicate machinery giving his fingertips a good stroke over it…-

"It's a fine piece of machinery it is."

-He hears out of no where and almost drops it from the shock of realizing someone's around. He looks over to the counter…no one. He looks around the store…no one.-

"That beauty you have there was made in 1944."

-Continues to look around to still find no one in the store. He looks back at the counter to see a man coming from behind a curtain; he hobbles from the curtain as the man continued to talk. Still holding the weapon in his hands like he should fire at the guy, the man is hobbling to the store front with a crutch on his right side to see he had no left foot. He had an eye patch over his right eye, scars up and down his arms and looked like he just came back from war. Sweaty and in a t-shirt that did not fit him. The fat bulge that he called a gut hanged out of his t-shirt like it was trying to escape.-

"That there is a British No 4 Mark I* single shot, break open signal pistol. That gun was used for the British & Allied Aircrafts during WWII."

-He rests his hands on the counter and smiles at Sota and says...-

"I'm sorry for bothering you with that but that right there is probably my favorite antique in the store. It was given to me by my dad when he left the British army back in 1949."

"Wow, that…that is…"

-Not even finishing a sentence as he still looks at the disfigured man at the counter, scared of him almost like all of his fears rolled up into one.-

"I was in war, if that is what you're wondering."

-Sota's eyes just widened as almost this gentleman exactly knew what he was thinking of. Shuddering at that fact, the gentleman laughed hardy and looks at him with his only good eye and says…-

"C'mon boy don't be scared by my appearance, I was only playing with you."

-Laughing more at his cruel joke towards Sota as Sota joins in on his laughter, nervously laughing just wanting to be friendly with this gentleman, not wanting to get hurt if he didn't. The man stops and says…-

"Where are my manners? I am Kurogawa Murazan. I'm the owner of this antique shop."

"I'm Sota…Sota Gawa sir."

-Not wanting to be rude as Kurogawa replies…-

"No need for formalities just Kurogawa will be fine."

"Right…Kurogawa."

-The man goes back to conducting his store as he asks Sota...-

"What can I help you today with Sota?"

"I…I was just looking around."

"Take your time then my boy there's a lot to see here, just call me if you find something."

-He hobbles back to the back room and disappears into the darkness. Sota continues to look around the store some more finding more things that interested in him. After a few minutes of looking around and seeing nothing he would like he looks over at the counter to see more stuff on shelves. He carefully inspects the antiques and then at the end of one, he sees a wooden worn down picture frame. He's intrigued by this since he rarely sees this kind of thing at an antique store.-

"Kurogawa sir. Kurogawa sir."

-Screaming into the darkness. Kurogawa comes back from the back room, crutching his way over to the counter as he says to Sota…-

"You don't have to call me sir, just Kurogawa will be fine but did you find something you like?"

-He points to the picture frame and asks him…-

"May I look at that?"

-Kurogawa turns his head to the picture frame and grabs it from the shelf giving it to Sota for him to closely inspect it more.-

"Sure my boy."

-Sota runs his fingers around the beautifully detailed chiseled in scenery of boats on the water, with seagulls and clouds surrounding the picture frame. Ships sailed through as Sota likes what he sees, and almost, again, like the man knew what he was thinking of…-

"That is the oldest piece I have here. its date is unknown but it's rumored to be from the early 1800s."

-Listening in on to the man's story, he continues to admire this piece of work. Kurogawa noticing Sota's interest in it, he says to Sota…-

"I see you like it, don't you?"

"Yes, very much so, it's…simple but…difficult and marvelous at the same time. I like it a lot."

"Then why don't you have it then."

-Sota looks up to him as if he was double checking what he said, not believing what the man just told him.-

"Go ahead, what's wrong?"

"I can't, it's your oldest piece and it must cost a fortune…I…I just can't…"

"Don't sweat it my boy. I can see you are a true connoisseur of fine pieces of work like that. It wouldn't be right of me to charge you for something like that, go ahead, my gift to you."

-Sota looks up at him, bows and says…-

"Thank you, thank you so much sir."

-Kurogawa laughs and says again…-

"No more sir, just Kurogawa, ok?"

-Sota looks up at him and nods. Looking outside and noticing it was getting dark real quickly, he says goodbye to Kurogawa and runs home. The bell rings as Sota leaves and Kurogawa watching him leave into the night. He arrives home shortly after, out of breath and tired, looking at his run-down home entering and saying out loud to the shadows, taking his shoes off…-

"I'm home."

-Hearing nothing but silence as usual, his mom probably getting drunk again, as she usually did. With the picture frame in hand, he heads into the kitchen and fixes him up some cup ramen, since that is all they can afford. Looking down at the kettle, sad and alone not really having that true feeling of a mother at home. The kettle steams up; he turns off the flame and pours him his cup of ramen. With the cup in hand and the picture frame in the other, he heads upstairs to eat and then go to bed. He gets into his barely of a place called his room. The only thing unpacked is his desk and his bed, which are close to each other. He sits at his desk, eats his ramen, and starts his homework. Trying to figure out a problem, he starts to space off again…-

"Big brother, big brother, I made this for you."

-His younger sister shows him a hand drawn picture she made (unknown to us what it is). She gives it to him, he looks at it for a short while and smiles back saying…-

"It's beautiful."

-She smiles up at him and responds to him…-

"I made it for you big brother."

-He snaps back and opens the draw in front of him to show the picture she made, he stares at it for a minute and then thinks to himself…-

_I miss you…sis…_

-He puts the picture in the picture frame; the glare from his overlooked lamp makes the picture faded as he continues to go to work on his homework. Shortly after, he finishes his ramen and homework, shuts off his light and goes off to bed. That night, in his dreams, he sees a bright light shining at him, like a twinkle of a star and a wispy voice says…-

_The price of a life…and it's yours…_

-The light, saying that to him it was different, it wasn't like a light from any star…it…it was dark and evil…he screams and wakes up, like from a nightmare, and sees it is morning all ready. Sweat goes down his face as he thinks about the strange dream he had and thinks…-

_What the hell was that about? The price of a life…and it's yours? What does that mean? Maybe I'm just overreacting…just a bit…_

-He plops back down on his bed again, his arm dangle to each side as he hits the bed but feels something…on his right arm, but…it isn't his blanket or a pillow, but…he looks over and sees a hand sticking out from under the sheets. He stalls for a minute as if his brain was trying to register the fact of what he is seeing, his eyes widen now realizing what he was seeing and falls off the bed grabbing the sheet with him as he falls to the floor and finds a beautiful naked woman sleeping on his bed. He gasps and looks at the delicate flower sleeping soundly on his bed, vacating his space as he just stares at what was there.-

_What the…who…who is this girl? What is she doing…in my bed?_

-Blushing at her naked beauty. She starts to awake, getting up slowly, her long blonde hair shimmering in the morning light from his window and covering her face. She swings her hair to one side with her head and opens her bright blue eyes to see him on the floor just watching her blossom from her slumber. She looks at him for a few seconds and smiles saying…-

"I…I love you."

-He stares at her still and does nothing.-

_**What if you heard an urban legend…that was true?**_

_**One will find out why some stories are best left A story.**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend**_

_**Episode 2:**_

-Blushing at her naked beauty. She starts to awake, getting up slowly, her long blonde hair shimmering in the morning light from his window and covering her face. She swings her hair to one side opening her bright blue eyes to see him on the floor just watching her blossom from her slumber. She looks at him for a few seconds and smiles saying…-

"I…I love you."

-He stares at her still and does nothing. Frozen in time, almost, he looks at the naked girl on his bed and instinctively grabs some t-shirts and pants, from anywhere he could find some, and changes her quickly.-

"What are you doing!? Look at you you're…you're naked and…on my bed! Who brought you here!? Did my mom get you drunk too or something!? Oh gosh, why me!? Why do I always have to clean up after her!?"

-Dumbfounded and startled by a girl, he finishes changing her into what would be his casual summer wear outfit but looks at his finished work and still blushes at her. Her bust protruding from his white t-shirt and how his tight blue baggy jeans was too short on her and showed her nice curves. She looks at the outfit she's wearing, she smiles and jumps on him nuzzling cheek to cheek. She laughs a bit and says ecstatically…-

"I love you Soto!"

-He blushes beet red from her cuteness and innocence and tries to push her off but can't. After a while, realizing something he asks her…-

"Wait, how…how do you know my name?"

-Before she can respond to his answer, he hears knocking at his door.-

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Hey Soto are you awake in there or have you finally died!"

-Soto takes a sigh of relief as the girl wonders who's at the door and asks him.-

"Hey Soto, who's at the door?"

"My mom…"

**KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!**

"Soto, I can hear you in there, get up or you'll be late for school!"

"I know mom I'll be out in a second ok."

-The banging stops as he takes a deep breath and exhales as he looks into her eyes and thinks to himself…-

_Wow…this girl…she's so cute but…where do I know her from? I've seen her somewhere before but where…nah she must have a face that's familiar._

-He blushes again when he feels two pressing lumps up against his body. His nose starts to bleed a bit and realizes what is against his chest. He thinks to himself then…-

_Wow, her chest, so nice and so big…_

-He snaps out of it, pushing her back a little and catches his breath. He looks at her and gets serious again.-

"I don't even know your name, what is your name?"

"My name?"

-She wonders for a bit, her brain searching her memory bank for that answer but comes up short.-

"I don't remember."

"Well, is there anything you do remember?"

"Well, the only thing I remember is…I woke up next to you and all I knew is I loved you."

-Blushing when she said that, fiddling with her golden locks. In response, Soto blushes back completely forgetting his question on how she knew him but got down to bigger things. He decides because of the situation and circumstance…-

"Well, if you can't remember who you are then you must not know where you live then. Look, you can stay here as long as you need to, until you get your memory back but don't let my mom see you. She'll have a field day if she sees you here, ok?"

-She smiles and nods then hugging him again hard and tight so that her chest poked him again, he blushed and then pushed her back enough and became serious again.-

"Look, I have to go to school. It's not safe for you to be wandering off on your own if you have no memory, so stay here till I get back."

-Hurriedly changing into his school uniform and putting on his shoes as he continues to talk to her…-

"I'll come straight home when I'm done. Oh and one more thing…"

-He stops and looks down saying what he was ready to say next. She looks at him worried but curious too.-

"…whatever you hear downstairs, no matter what you hear or the noises that come from it, for your own safety don't go downstairs."

-She looked down for a sec and then nodded with a low depressed voice…-

"Ok…"

"Good, I'll see you later, bye."

-With that, he opens his door and runs downstairs to eat some breakfast with his mom who was hung over by now, seated at the table. She watches as he leaves the room and sits there replaying what he said to her. Through her expression, she really wants to be there for him when he needed, but behaving, she will keep his word and not do so. Sota goes over sitting down across from her blesses the meal and begins to eat. The breakfast was silent for a bit and all you can hear was the slurp slurp of food being eaten and swallowed. The silence was then broken by his mom…-

"Why were you late getting up again Soto? You know, if you keep doing this, I won't make you breakfast anymore."

"Who said I wanted you to make breakfast for me anyway."

-Soto said under his breath but audible so his mom could question it. She hears him mumbling under his breath and says to him sarcastically…-

"What was that Soto? I couldn't hear what you were saying under all that shit you got inside your mouth!"

"Just remember, you gave birth to me."

"Well I wouldn't have if your father didn't get me going!"

"It's not my fault if you can't close your legs."

-Acting very casual and cocky as he always did to his mom when they started fighting, since he knew it was useless to raise her voice at her. She continued to fight with him while eating her rice and ramen…-

"Why you little bastard! You have no right to say that to your mother! Why, if I had any good mind right now I'd throw you out into the street!"

"So, why don't you then."

-The mom stopped dead in her tracks, shocked from the answer her son gave to her, though hung over she still know what he was saying. She looked at him and said softly, responding to his answer…-

"Because…you're the only thing…I have left…in this world…Soto…"

-Soto even stops in his tracks, with the food close to his mouth he froze in mid-time. Thinking…-

_Yeah, well if I'm the only thing she's got, then why doesn't she try not drinking for once and pick her life back up instead of screwing up mine._

-And with that…he slams his bowl on the table and yells to his mother…-

"If I'm the only thing you have left in this world then why don't you start acting like a mother for a change and not a drunken whore!?"

-She looks at him with shaky eyes and without a moment's hesitation, without thinking she gets up and yells at him.-

"Don't you dare raise that tone with me young man! I swear I will show you…"

-She gets cut off when she sees him leaving for school and yells at him some more.-

"Where do you think you are going, get back here!?"

"I have a brain and I'm using it…-

-Looks back at her giving her a cold stare.-

"…unlike you."

-And leaves on that note. She stares out at the door closing on her and just puts her hands in her face as she weeps and cries heavily. Trying to figure out what she has done wrong. All that time, she can hear her yelling and crying in Sota's room and gets scared a bit wanting to find out and help her Sota as much as she can. She reaches for the doorknob between peace and war but, remembers what Sota told her and decides to obey. She lays there on his bed looking up at the ceiling and thinking…-

_I wonder when Sota comes home._

-The bell rings at school time as the sun starts to set on a beautiful day as class is over. The teacher sorts his papers out and says to his students…-

"All right, class is over for the day but your homework tonight is to read pages 12-15 on Japanese literature."

-With that the kids get up and bow to their teacher as the teacher leaves for the day. On time, almost, the kids start to leave and chit chatters amongst each other as they leave the classroom. Sota, as usual, stays behind and looks out the window. He sits there in his own world, not really wanting to go home but knows that he has no choice since she was there alone and most likely hungry. He grabs his things and gets up, ready to walk home by himself again as he hears a familiar voice call to him.-

"Hey Sota-chan!"

-He looks over to see the spunky and energetic Yukito running up to him waving to him. She catches up to him, catches her breath and continues to talk to him.-

"Oh, hey Yukito, how's it going?"

-Putting up that false façade again.-

"I'm doing fine, out of breath as you can see."

-Laughing at her joke.-

"I can see by that."

-Laughing about that with her.-

"Hey Sota-chan, are you walking home alone?"

"Yeah, I am."

-Feeling kind of embarrassed by that fact.-

"May I come with then?"

-Using her flirty, teasing ways to get to him as he blushes softly and says…-

"I guess so…that…that is…if you want…I mean…"

-Before he can finish his sentence, she grabs his hand and runs off, with him, down the hall. The hustle and bustle of the people going from store to store buying and conversing was making this small town more like a metropolis. Yukito had let go of his hand a while back and now they are just walking down the sidewalk side by side. They had both been silent for a while. Walking down the bustling main stream as Yukito looks up at him looking kind of sad as Sota doesn't look like he was even acknowledging she was there, again like before. She smiles to not show him that she was worried and says to him, in her normal spunky manner…-

"Hey where do you want to go?"

"Um…"

-Looks at her and blushes, thinking…-

_I thought…she was just walking me home. I didn't know we were on a…Plus, I got that girl back home to take care of._

"I'm sorry, I just want to go home. I'm a little tired and I need to get some rest. Plus, I'm not feeling too good right now."

-Tries to think of an excuse but knows she can see right through it. He fakes a cough in hopes she did fall for it. She looks at him and smiles teasingly…-

"What's wrong Sota-chan? Embarrassed that you're with a girl?"

-Blushes more and moves his head and looks down at the ground trying to hide his face and responds shaky…-

"No…no it is…it's just that…I have…"

-She clings on to his arm, teasing him some more.-

"Then what's the problem then Sota-chan?"

-Rubbing up against his arm. Blushes beet red when she did that and shakes her off his arm, runs a distance away from, then turns, bows and says this while running home.-

"I'm sorry, but…I need to be home. I'll talk to you tomorrow Yukito."

-With that, Sota disappears into the crowd. Yukito looks down almost like she was ready to cry. We see Sota home, in his room and out of breath closing the door behind him. He tries to catch his breath…-

"Welcome home Sota!"

-As she runs up and wraps his arms around him, nuzzling up against him and pressing her chest against his. His nose starts to bleed a bit as he felt her woman features touch him, he shakes it off and converses with her…-

"Thank you, it's…it's nice to be back home."

-Laughing a bit nervously. He hears her stomach growling, remembering she hasn't eaten anything all day, he looks at her and says…-

"Hey are you hungry? You must be starving all that time, I apologize I should have left something up here for you to eat."

-She looks at him, smiles and responds…-

"It's ok Sota and yes I'm very hungry."

"Ok then, stay right here I'll go make something downstairs for the both of us."

"Kay."

-Smiling at him as he leaves the room and down to the kitchen. He opens the fridge to see nothing but booze and more booze and thinks…-

_She has enough here to give herself alcohol poisoning._

-Shutting the door and opening a cabinet he finds some canned vegetables. He just thinks with his expression that we need more variety in this house, but just gets a boiling pot of water ready and cooks the canned vegetables. She waits, patiently, upstairs for him, she can faintly smell the steamed vegetables. She can't help but wonder what he is cooking. She puts her hands on the doorknob, to his room, and stops and thinks, to herself…-

_Should…should I? But, what Sota is making smells so good…oohh…No I shouldn't, Sota said I stay here…ooh but…_

-Her stomach growls again at her. She can't help but not to resist seeing what he was doing downstairs. She opens his door and slowly creeps down to the kitchen, walking on her tip-toes so he couldn't hear her. She gets halfway down stairs when she makes out a conversation with what looked like Sota talking to someone else. She starts to eavesdrop thinking to herself…-

_Is he talking to someone else? Or is he…_

"…with what has happened so far, why do I care about her?"

-Yukito looks between the railings and looks down sad.-

_Does…does that mean…he doesn't care about me…_

"She's so stupid why am I doing all this?"

-She doesn't want to hear anymore and creeps back upstairs and closes the door silently. She huddles on his bed curled up, knees tucked in toward her as she says to herself…-

"Does Sota care…about me…at all?"

-Looks at her fingers as she moves them almost like if she was discovering how her fingers move and bend. Still and motionless as Sota walks in the door with the food on a worn down tray for the two, he notices her on his bed there and still. Worried about her, he asked gently…-

"Is everything ok?"

-She turns over and looks at him, smiling softly and nodding.-

"Yes, everything is fine."

"Well, if you are still hungry let's eat. It's not much but…it's something."

-She jumps up overjoyed and hugs him hard, appreciating her meal.-

"Thank you, thank you, thank you so much Sota, I love you lots!"

-Her chest poking his as he blushes and bleeds from his nose as he faintly smiles and thinks…-

_Well, at least she's happy…_

-She thinks to herself…-

_I know Sota does like me and even if he doesn't, I don't care, I still love him._

-She continues to hug him before digging in to her wonderful meal. Meanwhile, back home in Miyajima, Sakagi (Sota's girlfriend back home), is in her room with her head on her hands looking at the wall deterring from her homework and says…-

"Please…please come back soon…Sota."


	3. Chapter 3

_**Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend**_

_**Episode 3:**_

-The birds sing their morning song of alarm as a new dawn has arrived. The sun's rays peak in through Sota's window and illuminate his face giving depth and complexion to it. His eyes shake as they opened to look at the morning sun welcoming him. He thinks to himself…-

_What a dream I had. Who was that strange girl anyway?_

-He gets up pulling all the covers off him and looks over to the side of him to see the same blonde hair girl sleeping next to him, cuddled up for warmth. Like he did last time, almost on instinct, he slowly trembles and gives a good jump off the side into his wall wondering what she was doing there. He points at her, not believing what he was seeing and says out loud…-

"What…what is she doing here!?"

-With that, she stirs slightly and opens her eyes looking at him. Sota shakes a bit, still in shock that it wasn't a dream, as she gets up and immediately crawls over to Sota on all fours right up to his face. He blushes a bit as she did that. She looks right into his eyes and says cute and low…-

"Good morning Sota. Did you sleep well?"

-Still in the shock of it all, he gets a nod in blushing deeply looking at the loosely fitted clothing she was wearing. He quickly shakes it off and props himself upright looking at her and says…-

"Do you remember anything yet?"

-She looks at him and goes sad a bit shaking her head no.-

"I'm sorry Sota, I'm really trying to remember."

"It's ok, but I have an idea to help you get your memory back. Why don't we give you a name for now and maybe doing so will spark something a memory or something, plus…"

-He begins to laugh at himself at his stupidity for saying this.-

"…it'll give me a chance to call you something proper than using you all the time."

-She looks at him and quickly, cutely laughs and nods to that idea.-

"Ok then, I like that idea Sota but…what should I be called I can't think of any names except Sota…I think I like Sota."

-She laughs at that actually being serious by her answer, he blushes gently seeing how cute and innocent she was and knowing how serious she really was. He laughed along with her and butted into that.-

"That would get too confusing calling you Sota when I'm all ready Sota. And also, it's a boy's name and you are not a boy you're a girl."

-Laughing more at his own stupidity as he thought more about a name to give her, then, like a train, it hit him.-

"How about we call you Yukito, it's a very pretty name and, I believe, it suits you well."

"Yu…ki…to? Yu…ki…to. Yukito. Yukito."

-Pondering the name slowly, saying the name a couple of times to see if it fits, in her eyes. After a while, she smiles wide and as a child receiving a gift on Christmas Day, she jumps for joy and hugs Sota hard saying to him…-

"I love it, thank you Sota for now, I'm Yukito cause that's the name you gave me."

"You're very…welcome Yukito."

-Blushing at her beauty and thinking through his expression that she was really happy just by a name itself.-

"I love you Sota, always and forever."

"I…I don't…I don't know about that but…um…"

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!

"Must I do this everyday with you Sota!? Get up all ready and come get something to eat!"

"All right mom, I'm coming!"

-Like on cue, she interrupts the conversation, yet again. He takes a sigh of disappointment, not really wanting to see his mom but has to. Turning to her he says to her…-

"I'm going to get some food for you before I head off to school today, so at least you can munch on something while I'm gone, is that all right?"

-She nods but slowly not really wanting him to leave but knows he has too. She lets go of him, smiling a bit and says sweetly…-

"Have a good meal with your mom Sota."

"I'll try."

-He responds back to her, rolling his eyes a little knowing that that will be impossible since almost each morning they fight over nothing. He puts on his school uniform and heads downstairs to eat, but before he does he says to her low…-

"I'm going to be back with some food once I'm done with breakfast so don't stay here until then. I'll see you in a bit."

"Okay."

-With that, he closes the door and heads off into the abyss which was the kitchen. His mom sits there, like she always does, legs crossed looking almost scorned as if he was late for something important. He pulls in his chair and sits down.-

"Thank you for this meal."

-They said in unison and with that, the meal began. The noise of clinging of chopsticks against bowls as they ate their white rice and ramen was all that was heard in that house, so far…until…-

"Why are you so late coming to breakfast now son?"

-Sota kept on eating with that question put in front as he calmly said to his mom…-

"I'm just sleeping a little bit longer than usual, that's all, why you have a problem with me sleeping?"

"No, I'm having a problem with you being late to breakfast."

"And why is that an issue now?"

-He could tell his mom was out all night drinking but this was his usual morning routine with her anyway and he knew how to play it well.-

"Because maybe I don't want the food to get cold."

-Muttering under his breath.-

"Maybe cause you're tired of being alone."

"What was that Sota!?"

"T'was the wind mom."

"Yeah…and I suppose wind can talk shit as well can they now."

"I suppose it can, if the alcohol had set in all ready who knows what could talk shit."

"What you think I'm going to believe that?"

"Who knows what you believe or not but all I believe is that you are nothing but a drunken whore."

-She slams her bowl on the table chipping the base of it as it flew off the table onto the floor. She hated when Sota called her a drunken whore, her eyes flared with the flames of hell and blood pumped furiously into every vein she had in her body. She wanted to scream, yell, punch, and do anything damaging she could to Sota. Her fist raised as it quivered and became red with the pumping blood and anger she had towards him now. In her head she counted backwards from 10 to try to cool her nerves down as Sota encouraged this dilemma knowing she could never hit him again like she did before.-

"What, you're going to hit me now? All because I called you a drunk…"

"That's enough Sota! I'm tired of you calling me a drunken whore!"

"Well the truth hurts, doesn't it mother."

-Looking into her eyes with that cocky tone and the stare in his eyes piercing her mind as she knew herself she was a drunken whore but will never admit it. She cooled down a little after muttering under her breath…-

"You little bastard…"

_Why Sota…why are you like this? What happened to the boy that laughed and called me mom? What happened to that…little boy of mine?_

-Tears started to swell and fill her eyes, she didn't cry though and instead wiped them away with the back of her hand and finished eating her cold meal. After another few minutes of eating in silence, Sota thanks for the food and takes whatever left over scraps he had up to his room.-

"What do you think you are dong with those leftovers?"

"I'm bringing them upstairs for me to have later when I get back from school. I'm trying to save at least a little bit of money around here."

-Continues to go upstairs as he opens his door to his room and sees Yukito on his bed again laying down, almost ready to fall asleep.-

"Here you go Yukito, eat up or it'll get cold."

-Even though it was but he said that to make sure she ate it. Almost like she was in a daze, she didn't really notice he was there. He set the dishes next to her, on the bed, and when she saw that she looked up at him from the bed smiled and said softly…-

"Thanks Sota, I love you."

"You're…you're very welcome Yukito."

-Blushes a bit.-

"Well I have to go, don't want to be late for school. bit I'll see when I get back and remember, no leaving this room under any circumstances, got it?"

-She nods slowly as he grabs his stuff and heads off to school. At school, the teacher is off walking down each aisle of desks with his nose in a book giving them a lecture about Japanese literature, the class, with their books open and listening. Sota has his open but is mainly looking out the window at some cherry blossoms. The leaves swayed with the movements of the wind, dancing to a soft harmonic whistle. He completely stares into them so lost in thought as the teacher hovers right next to him, noticing he was looking at them as he crouched down and decided to play along.-

"Lovely this time of year, aren't they?"

"Yes, they certainly are. Their so delicate yet…"

-He blinks a bit and turns around to see his teacher smiling at him as Sota gets nervous and blurts…-

"Mr. Ruyokogi! I'm terribly sorry for me spacing out like that!"

-He gets up from his seat and bows toward him, embarrassed as hell as the teacher and the rest of the class start to laugh at his foolishness.-

"Why don't you try staying with the rest of the class here in fact, since you are up and want to make it up to me, why don't you read page 40?"

-Sota opens his book and quickly flips the pages over to page 40, clearing his throat he begun to read the passage. While he was reading it in his soft melancholy voice his mind wandered a bit.-

_I hope I didn't upset Yuki last night with me walking out on her like that._

-A flashback of her just standing there in the crowd as he ran home and left her behind.-

_I have to make it up to her, she does concern about me and is my…fr…_

"Mr. Gawa…Mr. Gawa…Mr. Gawa!"

-He shakes his head as Mr. Ruyokogi is screaming at him as he continued to read. He stops as the class laughs a little amongst themselves.-

"Thank you for reading the page Mr. Gawa, you may sit down now."

"Right, sir."

-Embarrassed more as he sat down and was glad to not be in the spotlight as he overheard students chit chatter to each other saying…what a loser and what a space shot…but he clearly ignored those comments, it wasn't like he was called them before nor did he care what they think. He just sat there for the rest of the time, with his face in the book, paying attention so the same mistake wasn't to happen. School was over and he sat there at the end of his class staring out the window looking at the cherry blossoms fall to the ground. He sits there looking at their glory but gets up, grabbing his bag he walks out of the classroom. He gets to the hallway and looks around to see if Yuki was around but the school was bare and dry of any students. He sighs and comes to the conclusion…-

"She must be mad at me, there's no other explanation. I'm such a prick sometimes, it's no wonder I don't have a…"

"Sota-chan! Over here!"

-Stops dead in his tracks as he hears Yuki's voice pierced through the darkness as he turns around to see her smiling face a few feet away from him. Her energy gave the school a vibrant feel as she ran to him and said…-

"Going home by yourself again aren't you Sota-chan?"

"Yes, I can't put anything past you can't I."

-Laughing a little at his own stupid joke as she chuckled along with him and said again…-

"Can I walk you home again Sota-chan and this time for real not what happened last time?"

"Sure you are more than welcome to come, it's nice to have a talking buddy, it makes the trip feel…whoa!"

-Just like that before he could finish his sentence, Yuki grabs his hand and rushes him out the school. On the street in main street Hiroshima there they stood, again, standing side by side not saying a word like yesterday. But both were thinking the same way, they both felt stupid for the other day and how they reacted. Through their expressions they wanted to apologize for that but felt nervous and stupid if they did. Finally after hearing clutter in the back and hearing some guy yelling about fish at half price today, the both worked their nerves up and said to each in the face at the same time…-

"Yuki, I'm sorry for the other day!"

"Sota, I'm sorry for the other day!"

-Blushing while they looked at each other as they realized the awkwardness that they both said it at the same time they look away for a bit as Sota starts to say…-

"I apologize for yesterday, I was in a hurry to get home and I didn't…"

"No it was my fault for teasing you like that. I didn't know you would react like that in that way. It's just that…"

-She stops in mid-sentence blushing softly to herself as a hint of rouge spread to her cheeks. Sota notices this and gets worried.-

"It's just that what Yuki?"

-She looks up at him and still in that expression as she pinches his cheek hard. She giggles to herself as Sota says ow to it and asks her holding his face from the pain…-

"What did you do that for Yuki?"

"C'mon, you know you look so cute when you're mad."

-Giggling more to herself as he blushes gently to that comment. Yuki sees this and says teasing him a bit...-

"What's a matter Sota-chan, embarrassed that I said you're cute?"

"No no it's just that…that um…you're pinch…I think it…um…"

-Blushes bright red all over his face as he tried to make an excuse for it but knew he couldn't. Yuki laughed more as she could see this startling transformation of his and says to him…-

"You get embarrassed over the littlest things don't you Sota-chan?"

"Yeah…I sort of do."

-He replies calmly to her, as they left suburbia and entered the housings in the town. They talked a bit since that and began to really open up to each other Sota notices he is getting close to home and how late it was getting for them as he cuts the conversation they had short and says…-

"Um Yuki?"

"Yes Sota-chan?"

"It's a…getting late and I don't want you walking this late home so why don't I walk the rest of the way home so you can go off home too ok?"

-Smiling at her hoping it was a good plan so she wouldn't see the crap hole place he was stationed at. She hadn't noticed that it was late, she surveyed the scenery around and agreed.-

"Yeah it is getting pretty late, I better get going."

-She runs a ways ahead of him before stopping and turning around yelling back at him.-

"Hey Sota-chan!? Let's do this again tomorrow ok!?"

-He smiles a bit and yells back joking around.-

"It's a date Yuki!"

-She smiles at him from that distance as she waves goodbye to him and runs off to where the sun set on Japan. Sota watched her go as the sun slowly set and made the afternoon into night. He opens the door to his house as he says out loud…-

"I'm home, sorry if I was late!"

-He takes his shoes off and goes immediately upstairs to see Yukito under his covers what seem to be shivering of some sorts. He walks over to the lump in his bed and pulls back the covers to see her panting a bit and sneezing lightly. Her body was sweating as he quivered for a bit as Yukito noticed he was there and said softly while coughing…-

"Welcome…(coughs)…home Sota…(coughs)..."

-He puts his hand on her forehead and noticed she was burning up he immediately tells her in a worried state…-

"Stay right there, don't move I'll be right back."

-And with that, he quickly heads downstairs to the medicine cabinet in his bathroom to get some medical supplies for her cold. He hurries quickly as he grabs a warm face cloth, some medicine and more blankets and hurries back upstairs to see her in the same place she was before, smiling upon his return as he immediately attended her. He quickly gives her the medicine, puts the warm face cloth over her and piles blankets on top of her as he thinks to himself…-

_How did she get a fever like that so quickly?_

-He quickly scans the room to see what could have caused it as he noticed his side window was open. After attending to her, he walks over to the window and shuts it.-

"I know I left this window close before I left."

"I…opened your window Sota. It was getting a little hot…(coughs)…in here so I thought opening a window might help…(coughs)…"

"You shouldn't have done that Yukito, it gets cold quickly around here at night."

-He laughs a bit at her innocence and says to her…-

"You stay in bed for the rest of the night ok? That should clear up by tomorrow so you get some sleep ok?"

"Ok Sota, thank you for treating me and I'm sorry for…"

"Don't apologize you didn't know besides, it isn't your fault."

-As he said this, he put his hand on her head and pets her gently, she blushes a bit at that but smiled and closed her saying softly before heading off to sleep…-

"I love you Sota."

-And out like a light she goes. Sota continues to soothe her by petting her head till she fell fast asleep. Meanwhile, at the home of Sota's dad, we see him at his desk filing papers and signing things. What we think it to be divorce settlements and setting on a court date for the final debacle he stops for a minute and grabs a picture on his desk of a family portrait before it all happened as he thought out loud with a soft smile on his face.-

"Look at us back then, we were all so happy. What happen to us all? I miss you honey and I miss you especially Sota, I wonder what you are all doing now? One day soon Sota, I'll come visit you."


	4. Chapter 4

_**Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend**_

_**Episode 4:**_

-Sota's mom, Shina, is in her bed earlier than she usually is just staying in her bed thinking to herself and staring off into space.-

_What did I do wrong? Where did I go wrong?_

-She clinches onto her sheets and cries softly to sleep. Meanwhile, Sota's older sister, Midori, is with her new husband kissing him softly as she smiles away all her troubles with him and whispers in his ear gently in bed with him…-

"I love you so much, I'm glad we got married you make me so happy."

-She hugs him to close to her as she snuggled him till she fell asleep. He looks down at her purple hair and petted her gentle silk hair as she nodded off to sleep. His phone suddenly vibrates with an unknown number but a familiar number to him. He picks it up and talks softly into the receiver…-

"Hello? I'm sorry I was in the middle of something important. Ah ha…ah ha…yeah it was a lot of work to be done. Ah ha…ah ha…I still got a whole pile of it to do still before tomorrow so I'll give you a call then ok? All right then, I'll talk to you later, have a good night, bye."

-And hangs up the phone and slowly drifts off to sleep with his new bride in hand. The morning light of the sun illuminated Sota's room, the shadows of trees and birds as they flew by and the houses as the rays refracted off them. It woke Sota up earlier than usual even a time before his mom could get up. He knew he was up earlier than usual and just stood in bed looking up at the ceiling thinking…but really thinking about nothing at all. He took a sigh of discomfort and relief at once as he noticed a lump coming from under the covers, mostly at his pelvic region as he we assume what is happening but the lump then grows bigger and bigger and bigger and that gets Sota worried. He looks under the covers to find that Yukito is up and on top of him hugging him at his chest and nuzzling up to him. She pays no mind at first that he lifted the blanket to see what was the lump but after a few seconds she looks up at him and says sweetly and energetically, getting over her cold…-

"Good morning Sota, did you sleep well?"

-Continuing to nuzzle him as she hugged him to her.-

"I slept fine, thank you for asking and how did you sleep?"

"Great, I had the most wonderful dream. I dreamed you were in it and you and me were like this and well…"

-She blushes at the rest and turns her head aside as we can all ready imagine what she going to say next but doesn't finish her sentence as Sota notices too and blushes red from how she said that. He gets up not wanting her to get ideas as he gets dressed.-

"Well it sure is a wonderful day I would have to say don't you agree Yukito?"

-Trying to change the subject.-

"Yes, I agree very much so."

-The birds were singing their wonderful tune ushering in a new day as Sota finished changing and knew he was still early for breakfast. Yukito looked out at the birds as they hummed and sang away and said to Sota, without looking at him…-

"They are so cute, it's almost like their singing to me."

-Sota looked up.-

"What the birds on that tree?"

-Looking at the tree outside his house. Yukito smiled and giggled cutely, like always, as she looked at him and nodded.-

"Yep, I want to see them up close, oohh can I Sota, pretty please?"

-Sota laughed a little and petted her head gently.-

"Tomorrow okay, can you wait till then?"

-She nodded softly, looking a little sad as she obeyed. Sota was still a little tired so he went to the bed and laid on it for a while with his arms folded under his head like a pillow he said to Yukito…-

"You must be cooped up in my room sitting here and waiting for me to come home."

"Actually, I enjoy being in your room, it's always clean and I just love it here."

-Giggling a bit as she smiled at him with her loosely fitted attire. He blushed to himself as he kept forgetting about her dressing and knows when they go out soon he will buy her some new clothing. He finishes dressing up, looking over to her and says softly…-

"Let me get you something to eat before my mom wakes up so it doesn't look to suspicious, I'll be back…"

-He opens the door and finds his mom outside his door ready to bang on it when she sees him opening the door to come downstairs. Their eyes met and with a little of shock, they both look at each other and said, simultaneously questions to each other.-

"What are you doing up this early!?"

"What are you doing here mom!?"

-They point the fingers at each other and stood there both dumbfounded and confused at the same time eventually the mom says to him calmly…-

"Wow this is a surprise you're up early and ready to eat."

"Yeah, well I got up earlier than I thought."

"It's a nice change since I save my fists from getting splinters on your door. By the way, who were you talking to you in your room?"

-He looks up at her shocked a bit, but not revealing in fear that she will get more suspicious but quickly responds…-

"I was talking to myself."

"I don't believe that horseshit."

-She tries to sneak her head around his door to get a peak inside his room to see if an intruder had invaded her babies' space. He tries his best to block her view with his head and quickly makes up more lies for her to believe in.-

"It's the truth. I was thinking out loud to myself about the day ahead. You have to believe me."

"Believe you, like that time I caught you in the bathroom and you said you were concentrating…"

"I was mom and I still do concentrate a lot on…but that's beside the point look, let's go down and have breakfast before it gets cold ok?"

-She stops her search and takes a sigh and says…-

"All right, let's go."

-With that, Sota checks his room quickly but finds no one there and figures Yukito is hiding because of the commotion with his mom. He smiles and laughs a bit to himself and says softly to his room, hoping she hear it…-

"I'll come back with some food, don't you worry."

-And shuts his door silently and heads downstairs to eat. At the table, both were silent throughout the entire meal. No one talked, no one even breathed it seemed the mood and atmosphere was complete silence. When the meal was finished, the both thanked for the meal and put their plates in the sink to wash. Sota grabbed some snacks from the cupboard, as he put his plates away, and headed upstairs to give them to Yukito. Upon entering his room, he noticed no one around, the room was just as silent as the meal was downstairs.-

"Yukito? You can come out now."

-With that, the closet slowly opened revealing her inside huddled up as she smiled seeing the relief that it was him and not his mom. She went over to him and hugged him softly. Sota laughed softly and handed her the snacks to eat till he got home from his last day, of the week, for school.-

"Tomorrow Yukito, I'm going to take you out to see the town."

"Really!? You are Sota!?"

-Excited to hear the news, Sota continued.-

"Yep, and there, I'll buy you some clothes for you to wear instead of my summer sweats. So please, until tomorrow, don't leave this room, it's only for one more day ok?"

-He looks over to her as she tilted her head to the side like a cute puppy wanting to be noticed as she said in her own cute fashion…-

"Kay."

"Okay then, I'll see you later, bye."

-And out the door he goes. A whistle blows and a hand is raised, the signaling of the start of a race. Gym class was always like that for Sota, a race to the finish with everyone lagging behind. He was a competitor in gym, more here than in any of his other classes. Panting and sweating as he ran and ran to that finish line. The girls cheering the guys from the sidelines of the track and they screamed…-

"Go Ari!"

"Whip their asses Kanto!"

"Way to go boys!"

-Sota was in a dead heat with a tall built track runner. He was beloved and adored by all the girls in his gym class and Sota hated that. The girls called him Mr. Perfect because he was perfect in everyway. His scores were unbelievable, his athletic abilities matched Olympic standards, his personality matched what women look for, and he is all ready being offered scholarships to universities all over the country…and Sota despised him more for that. Hated him for his looks, hated him for the admiration he was so unwillingly deserving of, and hated him for just being there. Nothing about this guy was ever right to Sota and he wanted to prove to him once and for all who was better. The girls screamed and hollered for him to win as Sota thought…-

_I'll show them whose better._

-Picking up the pace as he started to get ahead of Mr. Perfect. Running and giving it everything he had in his body. Panting heavily and sweating profusely as he started to gain inches in front of him. Letting his cockiness and pride get to him, he thought…-

_Yes! Ah ha! In your face Mr. Perfect! Now will see how the girls react when you get beaten by me!_

-The sun's warmth beat Sota to submission. Teaching the harsh lesson of not preparing for the worst, vision started to go fuzzy and conscious was fading slowly. He shook it off for a bit and kept on going but, heat caught up to him and showed him whose boss. Sota panted like a dog on a hot summer day as he started to slowly fade and black out.-

_No…(pants)…must…keep…(pants)…going…must…beat…(pants)…him…_

-The finished line approached him but every second to him felt like eternity, that time froze for just one second and played it in slow motion. Heart beat quickened as he was just inches away from his goal… He woke up several seconds later to find Mr. Perfect above him, worried look and all, looking down at him asking if he was all right. Sota had collapsed just centimeters before the finishing line and he won. His vision came back to him and just nodded softly to his question. Mr. Perfect picked him up by offering him a hand. Dusting himself off everyone was now off doing their next activities.-

"Thanks…um…"

-Realizing now that he only knew him as Mr. Perfect.-

"Sakai, Sakai Oji."

"Thanks, Mr. Oji…"

"Please call me Sakai I hate mister it makes me sound too old you know?"

-Laughing at his own joke as Sota chuckled a bit to it to be friendly. The bell rang for the next class as Sakai looked over at the clock and then looked back over to Sota and said quickly before running off…-

"I hope you are ok but I got to run so…hopefully we'll meet again, take care."

"Yeah, you…take care too Sakai…"

-Speaking to no one as everyone headed off to class all ready, standing there all alone by himself on the track field he thought in his head…-

_Cocky bastard aren't you._

-Slowly heading inside the building for his final class.-

DING DONG DING DONG (repeated)

"All right everyone that's it for the day. There will be no homework for the weekend so you can enjoy the weather we are going to have."

"Thank you teacher!"

-The class said in unison, grateful that there was no assignment for them. The class got up and bowed to their teacher as he left the room, soon afterwards the class soon followed. Sota, as always, stood behind looking out at the window waiting for everyone to leave before he makes his exit. A few seconds of thinking about nothing and just staring aimlessly into space, he collected his things and left the classroom. He looked both ways down the corridor to see if anyone was around and saw the building was empty as a haunted house. Just wanting to get home, he closed the sliding door to his classroom and headed out of the building. Walking home was weird for him, he looked to his side and remembered that he hadn't seen Yuki in school all day.-

_I hope she is all right, maybe she came down with something…well in any case, I hope she gets better. Ah yeah, me and Yukito were going to go shopping for some clothes, I better get a head start on what stores to take her to._

-On his way home, he goes window shopping for a bit, looking at the various dresses and apparel of women's fashion trying to envision what she would look like in them. He passed by a lingerie store and stopped for a second then just kept on walking by, not wanting to put those kinds of visions into his head that late in the day. He scouted the streets and shops for the best in women's fashion then walked straight home. It was getting, a little late than he usually came home, but it didn't matter he didn't have school tomorrow and no homework so…what was there to bug him.-

"I'm home!"

-He yelled into what seemed like an empty vacant house. Carrying his bag and supplies up to his room he opened the door and said into the space…-

"Yukito, I'm home and I found shops in town that we might…"

-But then noticed, with a quick look around, no one was there. Wanting to double check himself he said again…-

"Yukito? Are you here? Yukito, where are you?"

-Searching his room as he said that out to the room. Looking in his closet, nothing and anywhere she could hide but came up short. Worried now thinking she left the room, he searched the whole house continuing to question into the absent space…-

"Yukito, where are you? Don't be hiding on me now. I told you not to leave the room. Where could she have gone?"

-Looking in the bathroom, nothing, mom's room, nothing, kitchen, nothing, she was nowhere to be found. Worried now, he yelled once more…-

"Yukito, where are you this isn't funny anymore come out!"

-Nothing, absolute loneliness responded back. He ran up to his room and searched frantically around looking even in places he knew she wouldn't be put wanted answers to clues with no leads. He took a few deep breaths after trashing his room and said calmly to himself…-

"Okay, let me think here. If I was her, in my room, on a hot sunny day for hours, what would I do?"

-Contemplating for a while then looked towards his window and saw it was wide open. His eyes quivered and worried more assuming she climbed out the window when she had it open because of the humidity in here. And just like that, she was gone. Gone, into a city she had no idea where she was or where to go. She was lost, lost in a lighted jungle.-


	5. Chapter 5

_**Flat: The Story of an Urban Legend**_

_**Episode 5:**_

"I'm home!"

-He yelled into what seemed like an empty vacant house. Carrying his bag and supplies up to his room he opened the door and said into the space…-

"Yukito, I'm home and I found shops in town that we might…"

-But then noticed, with a quick look around, no one was there. Wanting to double check himself he said again…-

"Yukito? Are you here? Yukito, where are you?"

-Searching his room as he said that out to the room. Looking in his closet, nothing and anywhere she could hide but came up short. Worried now thinking she left the room, he searched the whole house continuing to question into the absent space…-

"Yukito, where are you? Don't be hiding on me now. I told you not to leave the room. Where could she have gone?"

-Looking in the bathroom, nothing, mom's room, nothing, kitchen, nothing, she was nowhere to be found. Worried now, he yelled once more…-

"Yukito, where are you this isn't funny anymore come out!"

-Nothing, absolute loneliness responded back. He ran up to his room and searched frantically around looking even in places he knew she wouldn't be put wanted answers to clues with no leads. He took a few deep breaths after trashing his room and said calmly to himself…-

"Okay, let me think here. If I was her, in my room, on a hot sunny day for hours, what would I do?"

-Contemplating for a while then looked towards his window and saw it was wide open. His eyes quivered and worried more assuming she climbed out the window when she had it open because of the humidity in here. And just like that, she was gone. Gone, into a city she had no idea where she was or where to go. She was lost, lost in a lighted jungle. He knew he had to act quickly but smart at the same time.-

_She couldn't have gone far._

-He thought to himself and started to think like her.-

_I have to think and act just like her in order to find out where could she have gone. Ok ok think Sota think…..I got it!_

-After careful seconds of pondering he thought of something interesting and started to think out loud what happened.-

"It was brutally hot today. With the humidity building inside this room it must have felt like a sauna to her, she opened the window so she could let some air in. Then what…what could she have possibly saw out there that made her climb out?"

-Looked outside the window for a bit wondering what she could she have seen to make her climb out the window.-

CHIRP CHIRP…CHIRP CHIRP

-He could hear a bird singing softly in the twilight hour as it fluttered onto the tree in front of his house. He carefully listened to the bird chirping, almost like if it was telling him something important. The bird chirping away and Sota looking at it as his eyes lighten up, he knew where she was. He looked away from the window and leaves the room running downstairs and out the door. Yukito was sitting on a bench under a street light, smiling and laughing to herself as she watched the birds bob their heads and flutter their wings wanting to take flight. She sat there, watching them and being amazed with the fact of what they are. Not really taking mind to the fact it was dark and it was late she just sat there admiring the birds. A rustle of footsteps approached her from the right of her, she blinked a couple of times and looked over at the shadow coming towards her. Meanwhile, back in Miyajima, Sakagi was lying on her bed with nothing but her bra and panties on as her lamp, on her desk next to the bed, shined a fluorescent glow to the room. The ray of the bulb gave tone and figure to her half-naked body as she lay there, staring up at the ceiling through those thin lens glasses of hers. Staring at posters she had all over her walls and on her ceiling, she smiled at them but…sad at the same time. She blushed a hint of rouge on her cheeks, grabbing her pillow she had to the side of her bed and held her close against her. Hugging it like no tomorrow as she seemed a bit hot, almost aroused it seemed as she had a faint smile to her and said softly out loud, but to herself…-

"….."

-Her lips moved but with no sound, inaudible to the people around but to herself. The mystery of the silent speech was not clearly known but left room for discovery as time progressed on. She sat there hugging her pillow more as we start to hear her cry softly into the pillow as she seemed to cry herself to sleep. The mom comes home late, 11 minutes past 1 to be more specific. Drunk and not coherent as she screams into the darkness…-

"Hey…Soda…are you fome!?"

-Slurring really badly as she tries to make more sense out of herself.-

"You know Soda…I fink…I might have founded you a new dad…yeah…"

-Walking upstairs, swaying back and forth as she walked up the stairs dizzily as she tried pounding on Sota's door before going to her own.-

"Hey, you in there fun!? Did you hear me you son of a fitch!? I said I fink I founded a new dad for you!"

-Of course, not realizing he wasn't home she assumes he's fast asleep and yells at the dead wood.-

"Well, you little prick, I can see you're off in la la land like I am…so…goodbye Soda…."

-She heavily, trying to catch her balance, goes to her room and collapses on the bed, drunk and tired as she immediately falls asleep. Yukito was sitting on a bench under a street light, smiling and laughing to herself as she watched the birds bob their heads and flutter their wings wanting to take flight. She sat there, watching them and being amazed with the fact of what they are. Not really taking mind to the fact it was dark and it was late she just sat there admiring the birds. A rustle of footsteps approached her from the right of her. She blinked a couple of times and looked over at the shadow coming towards her. It stepped out of the shadow and into the night.-

"I figured you were here, Yukito. I was worried sick about you! What are you doing out here!? I thought I told you to stay in the room!"

-Yukito looks down disappointed feeling bad about what she did as she slowly responded…-

"It's just…it's just I wanted to see the birds so much and I figured I wouldn't be gone for long…and I…"

-Tears started to form as it streamed down her cheek, thinking she was going to get punished and scolded by Sota. She started to cry a river as she screamed, hoping to make amends for what she did…-

"I'm sorry Sota, please forgive me! Just please…don't hit me…please…"

-She started to cry a lot as Sota, eyes quivering, walked slowly up to the park bench and sat down beside her. He looked at the birds, then up at the stars.-

"It's a beautiful day out here isn't it Yukito?"

-She stopped crying, tears silently flowing down her subtle cheek, she looked up at him as if almost confused at his reaction and stared at him wondering what he'll say next.-

"The birds seem so happy to be with you and you are happy being with them don't you?"

-She stared into oblivion at him as she was still confused and befuddled by this conversation as she just answered his question and nodded slowly at him.-

"Yes, I'm very happy to see the birds and…to be here sitting with you Sota looking at the bright lights of the city and looking up at the stars."

"It's amazing, isn't it? To see how both look so close but yet so far from reach. That both light up even the darkest of nights with one glow, I find that to be pretty amazing myself."

"It sure is."

-She wiped the tears off of her face as she stared up at the stars with him, just gazing as the two just sat there, silent and spaced out amongst the sky. For a minute, the two just sat there and, in their minds, try to figure out the answers to life's problem just by the twinkle of light.-

"Hey, Yukito?"

"Yes Sota?"

"I was wondering…"

"Yes…"

"I was wondering, what do you…(gulps)…what do you think of me…honestly…"

-Blushing to no end, a feeling that has never even come over him before. In his mind, he wanted to know he had to know but, was scared to ask but, he couldn't help himself and now felt bad for asking.-

"What I think of you?"

-She blushes softly, smiling, sitting just a little bit closer to him as she gets up and sits on top of his lap and wraps her arms around his neck, nuzzling his cheek like a cute cat would as she whispered gently…-

"You mean everything to me Sota. You helped me when no one else would, you've shown me nothing but kindness and trust. You've shown me that there are good people in this world Sota and one of them…is you."

-He stopped dead in his tracks and now, his whole body turned red as he heard that from her never thinking that a girl could feel this much for a guy like him. He just listened, not breathing, not speaking, not even blinking, the moment lasted forever and he didn't want to jinx it. She hugged Sota tighter against him as she felt the warmth of his cheek against hers as she pulled back away to look at him directly in the eyes as she blushed still, her beauty radiant as the moon's glow gave that mellow peaceful feeling. She looked into his eyes as both of their hearts pumped fast and loud as she said to him…-

"I love you Sota, I love you with all of my heart."

-Her eyes closed, her hands grasped softly against his cheeks, tilted her head sideways and parting her lips, she kissed Sota's soft light red lips. Sota wide-eyed with completely awe and shock, he had never kissed a girl before nor ever dreamt that he would. He stood there in completely shock then slowly went into the moment as he kissed her back the same way. For one moment in time, Yukito and Sota were the two happiest people in the entire world. Meanwhile, the next morning the following day seemed just as busy. The metropolis was a heavy place to be in, so many lights and people walking back and forth with shopping bags and groceries looking through the windows admiring the latest fashions and wears. Sota's father never thought where Sota was living actually could be such a busy place. He stared into space but alert as he kept on walking past the people, past the noisy children, past the various shops and bazaars. All he kept thinking was…-

_Sota, I can't wait to see you, it's been too long._

-Smiling knowing he will see his son once again. Thinking about the smile he will have and all the time they can share or have shared…his train of thought was stopped, his body stopped and his feet stopped. Stoned to the sidewalk almost as if destiny told him, he turned his head to the sign above a shop he stopped in front of and read it out loud.-

"Murazan's Antiques."


End file.
